Phil Housley Fired as Sabres Head Coach After 2 Seasons with Team

The Buffalo Sabres have reportedly fired head coach Phil Housley, according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News.

Under Housley, the Sabres managed just 62 points last season and 76 points this campaign, missing the postseason in 2018-19 by 22 points. They were 33-39-10 overall this season. 

One issue in Buffalo was Housley's lineup decisions, as Harrington noted:

"The constant line juggling was a sore spot with his players. You can do all the tinkering you want at practice but when you get into a game, players want you to keep the lines running together for at least a game or two to see if chemistry develops. Too often, Housley would have some new trios and they would be gone by the second period."

While Housley wasn't handed the most talented roster, he also failed to get the most out of his players. For a Buffalo team that has failed to reach the postseason since the 2010-11 campaign, a change was needed. 

The fear for many Sabres fans is that the team has yet to build a contender around young star Jack Eichel, who has another strong season in 2018-19 (28 goals, 54 assists). Eichel has scored 24 or more goals in all four of his NHL seasons, and he improved his playmaking this season, notching 15 more assists than he offered in 2017-18.

In Eichel and promising young blue-liner Rasmus Dahlin, the Sabres have foundational pieces in place. But surrounding them with more talent—and finding a head coach that will make the most of that talent—is a must for general manager Jason Botterill.

Otherwise, he may suffer the same fate as Housley.